Minako and Haruka, “Everything’s going to be fine” YOU COULD MAKE THIS ONE ANGSTY IF YOU WANT

May 1, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Even though I’m only getting to it now, the angst possibilities for this have been swimming in my head since you sent this.

—-

In the back of her mind, Haruka had always known herself to
be one of the weaker fighters of the team. She didn’t think things through, she
sometimes let her emotions get the best of her, she had her speed and the
powers granted to her as a sailor soldier and that was it. She’d always known
if someone was going to get taken down in battle, it would be her.

Maybe that was why her brain refused to believe this was
happening. Mina was going to get up again any second now. She was fine. Another
second, and she’d bounce up with a smile and give a monster hell for
landing a hit. She was just being dramatic, or it was a tactic, let them think
they’d started to overwhelm the girls, and then ha! Haruka blasted monsters
back and waited for the ha!

It still didn’t come.

She fought her way over. Her mind offered increasingly
absurd reasoning. Maybe it was a terrible little prank, and Mina would bring it
up next time Haruka said no to barhopping or karaoke or skinny dipping. Maybe
Mina had dropped an earring, down between the rocks, and wanted to find it
before coming back up. Maybe. Maybe.

Haruka ran a monster through and looked down the little
cliff. The rocks were splashed with red. An accident of nature, surely. And
Mina’s uniform… but her eyes were still open, moving. They found Haruka’s.

She slid down carefully.

“Hey buddy.” Mina’s voice garbled a little at the end. Blood
seeped from her lips. “You gotta help me get up, I can’t—“ She coughed. “I
can’t move my legs, there’s something on them.”

Her legs bore only cuts and bruises. Haruka swallowed hard.
“I… I can’t. There… there are doctors coming, they’ll know how to move you.”
She pressed her lips together. When had doctors ever come for them? Ami, she
should have said Ami.

“No, I can’t wait, we have to fight.” Mina’s hands struggled
to find purchase, something to pull herself up with. “Usagi’s out there, she’s
gonna—“

“It’s okay, we won. The monsters are gone.” Haruka prayed
none would come find them. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Haruka took her hand. The blood hadn’t stopped, she
should have called for Ami, why hadn’t she?

“Usagi’s fine?”

“Barely a scratch on her.” Maybe it wasn’t a lie, Haruka
hadn’t seen her in what felt like ages.

“And Rei?”

“Rei’s too stubborn to get hurt.”

Mina’s mouth turned up at the corners, but her breathing
grew shaky. “And me?”

Haruka lay down next to her and brushed her hair and blood
away from her face. “You’re gonna be okay. I need you to be okay.”

“I don’t know if I can, buddy.” Her eyes lost their focus on
Haruka’s. “I’m scared,” she whispered.

Haruka held her close. Maybe the pressure would stop the
blood, just long enough for someone to find them. “It’s okay, I’m here.” The
blood was warm as it soaked into her uniform; she could feel Mina’s pulse in
it. “I’m here.”

“I love you, buddy.”

“I love you, too. So much.” Haruka bit her tongue to hold
back her tears. “Now don’t talk, save your energy. Someone’s going to be here
soon.”

Rei and Mina, “Are you fucking kidding me?”

May 1, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

This one is on AO3 too, since it’s over 1K

—

“So then she leaned over, and said—“

“Mina, I really don’t have time to listen to this.”

But Mina would not be deterred form her plan so easily. “Aw,
come on, Rei, you’re great at listening while you work. And this girl is so perfect,
I—“

“I don’t think she sounds that great.” Rei grabbed a broom
and headed out to the front of the shrine. Mina followed with a huff.

“Well you wouldn’t, no one’s good enough for the almighty
Rei Hino.” Rei swept faster. Mina trotted along. “But for me, she’s wonderful, an
absolute ten.” She extended her arm in an arc for emphasis, like this girl had
all the goodness in the whole world.

Rei merely flicked her eyes over. There were days when her
fire burned close to the surface, threatening to consume everything, and other
when she buried it deep under an affected coldness. Mina was unsure if it was
lucky she’d caught her in the latter or not. “So what you’re saying is you’re
settling.”

“That is the opposite of what I’m saying, actually.” Mina
grabbed the broom from Rei and spun it around in a dance. “I’m saying I like
her a lot. More than I’ve liked anyone before.”

“Oh please.” Rei snatched the broom back. “You’re not going
to stay this happy with her. She’s flawed like everyone else.”

“Well, Rei, the thing is, it’s actually possible to see
someone’s flaws and like them anyway. We do it all the time. Look at Usagi, we
love her to pieces, and she’s got flaws the size of an ice cream truck.”

“That’s different. Usagi is good.”

“And my animal-shelter volunteer hottie isn’t?”

Rei made a non-comital noise and moved to the stairs. Mina
followed, her own temper starting to flair. “Nuh-uh, don’t just walk away. I
want an answer. I want to know what your problem is with someone you’ve never
met and who you literally only know good things about.”

Sweeping the steps apparently took all of Rei’s focus.

“While we’re at it, let’s also throw in your problems with Yomi
and Torako and Mik—actually, I’ll give you a pass on him, being a man and all.
But everyone else.” Mina slid down the rail a little ways to land in front of
Rei. “I want to know.”

“I actually liked Miki best,” Rei said, with all the disinterest
of someone considering different toothpaste brands. “He just wasn’t right for
you, like all the others.” She skirted around Mina to get to lower steps. “And
you can’t disagree with me, because you
broke up with them all in the end.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Like a preschooler, Mina was
overcome with the urge to yank Rei’s long black hair. If they hadn’t been so
precariously arranged on the stairs, she might have done it. “You know why I broke up with them. I was stupid
enough to think you had a reason to dislike me dating. But you kept proving me
wrong.” She wanted Rei to turn around so badly, to take this face to face. “So
today I thought maybe you really were holding my partners to high standards, and
I made a girl up. A lovely, perfect girl. But you couldn’t be happy for me
then, either.”

“So you’re mad your lie didn’t work.” As she spoke her voice
lowered to a growl, anger breaking through her cool act.

“I’m mad because I can’t do it anymore. Either give me a
reason, or stop fucking doing this.”

Rei paused, but still did not turn. “Fuck you or fuck off,
then?”

There had, of course, been times in Mina’s life when she’d
felt this angry. She’d faced true evil with all the hatred Usagi could never
muster. But this was worse, somehow, in that she’d expected something else. “That’s
all you see in me then. Fine.” She would not let Rei invoke her inner demons. Mina
ran down the stairs without care, the childish thought that if she did fall,
Rei would feel as bad as she deserved to, occasionally running through her mind.
Fortunately, perhaps, she was too sure-footed for that. She arrived at the
bottom upright and out of breath. Part of her wanted to look back, the rest of
her urged her to keep going.

But something clattered down the stairs behind her. Rei’s
broom rolled to a stop against her heels.

Mina took a breath and waited. The sound of Rei’s footsteps
soon drew near, uncharacteristically hesitant. She stopped short of picking up
the broom.

“You and I also have truck sized flaws.” Rei paused, but
Mina wasn’t ready to give her anything, not even acknowledgement. “It’s easy
for me to focus on that. You’re loud, and ridiculous, and sometimes you test
people in stupid ways, because you can. And…”

She went quiet for a long while. Mina waited. Rei’s softer
feelings were like a deer hiding amongst barrels of gunpowder, a wrong move could
do much worse than scare them off for a bit.

“And worst of all, you know all my flaws better than anyone.
And maybe they’re more of a semi than an ice cream truck, and if you’re
standing so close it must be impossible for you to see anything else.”

Mina felt the real crux of the matter still coming.

“Maybe I don’t want you to see anything else,” Rei said, her
voice barely above a whisper. “Isn’t it easier if we don’t?”

“I don’t quite have your talent for that.” She tried to
judge if now was the time to turn around, but decided not to risk it. “I don’t
think it’s easy at all.” Mina could feel how close Rei was. The distance
between them felt electric, though if it was a current drawing them together or
a fence keeping them apart she couldn’t tell.

“Maybe I can work on it.” Rei picked up the broom. “Maybe I
will.”

Mina finally turned to look back as Rei started up the
stairs. In spite of everything, she found herself smiling.

Michiru and Seiya, “That;s a good look for you”

April 27, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

Just for you, this takes place in Olive Garden.

—

There were times when Michiru envied women with no class. A
woman like that might have a little flask in her purse that she snuck a long
drink from in times of hardship. If Michiru were brash enough to carry such a
thing, she’d fill it with wine—good wine, not like what they served here. She’d
drink it now, in the bathroom stall, let the real flavor wash over her tongue
and momentarily forget the atrocities occurring just outside. Haruka would be
none the wiser of her reprieve, and Michiru would be able to give her more
genuine smiles.

But alas, she had none to fortify her, and a flask would
hardly keep the notes of a good wine intact. She exited her stall and settled
for reapplying her lipstick. It was a simple trick; paint on your smile and
your mask is complete.

The door opened, just then, and Michiru found herself privy to
a greater atrocity than the restaurant’s food. For a moment, she didn’t
recognize the woman beneath the thick-framed glasses and jaunty cap, which she
assumed was the point. Her shirt as nicely tailored, but a frilly shade of pink—Usagi’s
doing, most likely—and marred by a large tomato stain beneath the collar—Usagi’s
doing, definitely.

“Ara, Seiya, that’s a good look for you.”

“Shut it.” She removed her fake glasses and dabbed at the
stain with paper towels.

“It’s very sweet that your girlfriend’s marked her
territory.”

Seiya glared, but a grin spread across her mouth. “Oh, you
can joke about how I’m whipped, and be absolutely right, but remember, dear Ms.
Kaioh, a woman of your tastes got yourself dragged here, too.”

“We all must make sacrifices for love from time to time.”
They met eyes in the mirror. “Though I daresay my sacrifice is made with
integrity. I have no need to hide.”

“I hate when fans interrupt a date.”

“If only there were a way to let them know you’re not to be
disturbed.”

Seiya snorted. “We can’t all be as perfectly cold as you.”

“Indeed you can’t.” She turned and fingered the stain. “You
need dish soap to be rid of this.”

“Uh, thank you.” Seiya’s cheeks went light pink. “You know,
sometimes I still wonder if you’re flirting with me.”

Michiru raised an eyebrow. “Oh no, it’s merely that kindness
puts you more off kilter than anything else.”

“You’re bad natured, Michiru.”

“So you’ve said.” She left the bathroom with a smile,
fortified after all. And Haruka’s face later, when Michiru pointed Seiya out,
was far better than a good wine.

Michiru and Haruka, “Can we just pretend I didn’t say that?”

April 24, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

It felt silly, but sometimes it was the little things Haurka
enjoyed most—the ordinary things, everyday life but a way she hadn’t been sure
she’d ever experience it. Right now, for example, she and Michiru were merely
walking through a department store, ostensibly there for a sauce pan but
looking at everything, since Michiru knew Haruka liked to. There was a certain
delight to be had in imagining uses for things, and even more in having Michiru
at her side.

“Would a bookshelf like that look good in my apartment?”

Michiru laughed and leaned in close. “I think you’d look
good carrying it up the stairs.”

Haruka blushed.

They wandered up to the top floor, where a little corner was
walled off with glass. Inside were racks of white dresses with a mannequin wearing
one in front. Lace sloped off its plastic shoulders, a ribbon cinched at its
tiny artificial waist.

“Do you think when we get married, you’ll wear something
like that?” Haruka looked down with a smile that fell as her own words hit her.
Her blood ran cold. “I mean. When you
get married, not necessarily to me, or maybe you won’t get married, I dunno, we
never– Can we just pretend I didn’t say that?” She willed herself the ability
to time travel, just once, to thirty seconds ago.

But Michiru took her hands. “I don’t like pretending much.”
She stood on tip toe to kiss Haruka’s cheek. “Maybe it’s time for us to talk
about it.”

“You think so?” Haruka fought down her smile, just in case.

“I do. It’s definitely getting silly for us not to at least
live together. And…” For the first time that Haruka had seen, Michiru blushed. “I
rather like the idea of a future with you.”

Haruka could not but laugh with joy and relief as she
wrapped Michiru in her arms. “I do, too.”

Harumichi s season “There’s something I’ve been meaning to say…”

April 24, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

OKAY THIS IS SET DURING THEIR FIRST BATTLE AFTER HARUKA AWAKENS.

–

Michiru was unsure how to feel about Haruka never mentioning
her confession. Granted, she’d done her best to convey Haruka should forget
about it, that any feelings didn’t matter in light of their mission, but part
of her was consumed with wondering. Did Haruka think her frivolous? Did she
feel anything back? She’d walked away, that first day, but had it been from
Michiru or from Neptune?

Michiru felt frivolous worrying about these things, when
there was so much more going on. It played in her mind even now, in battle,
each time Haruka called her Neptune. What
do you think of me? She thought as Haruka called for her to watch out. Are we nothing more than partner soldiers?
She loosed an attack at the monster. It dodged, making a bound toward Uranus. Michiru
turned, expecting to see Haruka prepping an attack.

Instead, she saw Haruka looking at her. Michiru could not
tell separate her deepest hopes from reality, but it almost seemed as though…

The monster landed a hard blow to Haruka’s stomach, sending
her falling back.

Panic and rage united in Michiru. This time her attack did
not miss. The monster died with a scream and MIchiru dove to Haruka’s side.

“I’m alright, don’t worry,” Haruka wheezed. She sat up and
rubbed her diaphragm.

“You have to stay alert,” Michiru chided. “That could have—“

“I know, won’t happen again. Just.” Haruka looked up to the
sky. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to say.”

Michiru bit her tongue. She’d been trained all her life for
composure, but never had it been as hard as now. “What is it?”

“Well, ah…” Haruka apparently found the clouds very
interesting. “You… I mean I… do you…” She finally looked down, to Michiru.
Her face froze for a long moment. “Do you…” She blushed very red and turned
away. “Do you have any control over the outfits? Skirts aren’t really my thing.”

Hope she hadn’t meant to hold deflated in Michiru’s chest. “No,
I’m afraid to say I don’t.”

Haruka and MIna and literally ANY OF THEM, but also “I can’t unsee that”

April 24, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

I WENT ROOMMATE AU FOR THIS I HOPE YOU DON’T MIND.

—-

On Mina’s road to stardom, she took the little blessings
amid the muck of long greasy days and rich patrons who never tipped. Today, her
blessing was being told to go home early. Granted, it was less because her
manager had taken pity on her and much more because her performance as the
exuberant, ever-gracious waitress had begun to crack under the weight of “Table
for fifteen” and “I said well-done not burnt,” but that didn’t matter. She had
a Friday night to do real Friday night things for once. The plan was to stop
off at home to change, maybe grab Haruka if she wasn’t busy, and hit the town.

And judging by the singing Minako heard as she put her key
in the door, Haruka was indeed not busy.

She didn’t notice Minako come in. Her laptop was on the
couch, the end credits of Titanic playing across the screen. Haruka had
apparently abandoned her blanket-nest in against the other sofa arm, now in the
middle of a dramatic dance as she sang along with Celine Dion. Her face was
still tear-streaked. She’d dug out a t-shirt that must have been nearly twenty
years old, her hand pressed against Kate Winslet’s face as she clutched her
heart.

“Whatcha doin’, buddy?”

Haruka froze for a full bar, then dove to shut her laptop. “Nothing!
Nothing. You saw nothing.”

“Ohoho, buddy, I can’t unsee that.”

Haruka crossed her arms over her chest, unable to hide the
design completely. “You’re never home this early.”

“Yeah, it’s a treat. God, do you do this every Friday?”

“No! Of course not!” But Haruka withered under her gaze. “Sometimes
Mako comes over and we watch movies together.”

“Oh buddy. My sweet, delicate friend. We’re going out
tonight, and I’m going to get you laid.”

“But I’m tired, today at the shop—“

“Please, if you’re tired, it’s because you just cried for
three straight hours.” Minako dragged her to her bedroom. “Now, pick out your
butchly best, and I’ll find us a nice gay bar.”

Harumichi cathedral aftermath for fandom sunday? :D

April 24, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

AW YEAH I LOVE S-ERA

—

So we didn’t have to
sacrifice anyone for the talismans.

It wasn’t, Michiru thought as she settled into bed, strictly
true. Even their near deaths aside, they were sacrificed for this. She set the
mirror next to her pillow and let her fingers rest on the handle. In the quiet,
she could feel the faint beat of her pulse in it. A part of her heart lay next
to her, a real slice of her life force made hard and cold and powerful.

She’d been foolish. Michiru had thought they had just one
thing to do, one terrible thing, and then they could move on, broken but free. The
mirror mocked her. It tied her to this life forever, unto death. And Haruka…
Michiru gripped the mirror’s handle, tempted to smash its glass against the
wall. She hadn’t been enough to save her. There would never be enough to get
her out of this mess. Michiru had failed in every mission save the one she
never wanted. She looked at her refection. What would it mean, to break the
glass of one’s own heart? Surely more than the prescribed seven years of bad
luck. But it couldn’t hurt more than what had happened in the cathedral when
Eudial shot it out, and before…

There was a knock on her bedroom door, so quiet she nearly
missed it.

Michiru tucked the mirror under a pillow and sat up. “Yes.”

“Are you awa—I guess you are. Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

The door opened, but Haruka hovered with her hand on the
knob instead of coming in. She always looked small in her sleepwear, the way
her t-shirts hung from her shoulders and her boxers accented the leanness of
her long legs, but she never looked so small as she did tonight. There was a
caved-in air to her, like much more than a piece of her heart had been removed.

“I’m sorry, I just… I couldn’t sleep, and I thought…”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything.”

“I think maybe I do.” The door creaked as Haruka leaned more
of her weight on the handle. Her hands shook. Rather than look at Michiru, she
curved her whole body towards the floor. “I wasn’t… I should have done things
differently. And what you did…”

“You owe me nothing for that,” Michiru said, perhaps a bit
too sharply. Would that she had stayed more composed through the whole thing,
let Haruka think she was merely looking out for her partner in the mission. She
wanted no gratitude, and certainly not pity.

Haruka let out a strangled sounding laugh. “What would I
even do to pay you back for that?” She braved a look up, and her voice got even
softer. “What did I do to make you do it in the first place?” Her chin quivered
and she didn’t wait for an answer. “When you… when it happened… I’ve been an
ass, I’d thought— I’d thought everything you’d said about doing whatever it
takes was true, I thought I couldn’t… so I am sorry.” She shrunk back into the
hall. “That’s really all I wanted to say, I’ll let you sleep. I’m sorry.” She
turned and made to close the door.

Michiru shot up. “Wait, please.” She stopped just short of
touching Haruka. “If there’s one thing you can do for me, it’s not feel this
way. This is my fault. I don’t want you to regret anything.”

Haruka did not turn around. She forced another laugh, even
faker than the last. “I guess I’m doomed to fail everything right now.” She
choked on the last word.

“Haruka.” Michiru’s heart pounded, even the piece still
tucked in her bed. She swallowed down every self-conscious feeling and fear and
wrapped her arms around Haruka from behind. Her head pressed into the space
between her shoulder blades and her hands found their way to the curve of her
ribs in the moment before Haruka took them in her own.

The taller girl’s body shook as she cried. “I thought you
were dead, and I hadn’t, I couldn’t—“

“I’m not dead. I’m here.” Michiru rubbed her thumb into
Haruka’s palm. “I’m here with you.”

“But what if next time… we still…”

“We’ll be fine. Whatever happens, I’ll be with you.”

Haruka raised one hand to her mouth and kissed it. “I’m going
to do better this time, I promise you.”

“You don’t—“

“I want to. I want to be good to you, Michi.”

Michiru felt a tear run down her own cheek. She wanted this,
badly, selfishly, more than anything else. But half Haruka’s heart now resided
in a sword, Haruka was tied to this battle. And if Michiru couldn’t save her
before, she’d never succeed now. Abandon
me, please, save yourself. She should have pushed her away, tried to change
her mind. But when Haruka turned to hold her in her arms, Michiru let her.

April 18, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

I wrote a brief vignette because HARUKA IS A SAPPY NERD WHO LOVES AND ADORES MICHIRU, END OF STORY.

—

Sometimes, the wind blew just right to steal the air from
Haruka’s lungs, a hard gust from her own element left her heart racing and the
rest of her body frozen in the several seconds she could not draw a breath.

And sometimes, the sight of Michiru left her feeling the
same way.

It wasn’t always, thank god—Haruka would have suffocated
years ago if it was. But this morning,
the light was just right. It cast the side of Michiru’s face and neck in gold
as she read with her coffee. She curled against the couch arm, legs folded up and
bare toes twitching like a cat’s tail. Her hair, still wild from sleep, had
begun to escape from its ponytail strand by strand. One curled perfectly along
her ear. Haruka could not resist tucking it back and kissing her on the forehead
the moment she regained the ability to move. “Morning, beautiful.”

“Morning, love.” Michiru looked up for a quick kiss on the
lips. Haruka held on a few extra seconds. “Someone’s affectionate today.”

“Mmm.” Haruka sat next to her and rubbed her shoulders. “Sometimes
I’m just struck by how lucky I am.”

“Oh?” Michiru marked her place and set down her book. “How
lucky are you?”

“Well.” Haruka nuzzled her face into her neck. “I’m somehow
married to the most beautiful woman in the world, who I love deeply and who
apparently loves me back.”

Michiru laughed. “You are very lucky indeed. But not nearly
so lucky as me.”

“Michi. Don’t tease.”

“I’m serious, love.” She kissed the top of Haruka’s head. “You
have a beautiful wife who loves you, I concede. But my wife is handsome, and
loyal, and kind. I do believe that there is no one in the world who could top
my luck.”

Haruka smiled and kissed her. “You’re very cute when you get
competitive.”

“Competitive? No, that would imply there’s competition.”

“Don’t worry, no one could ever compare to you.” Haruka
stroked her hair. “Except in luck. I definitely win there.”

April 7, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

ALRIGHT. Here it is, 3500 words of pure sap. Originally I started this for Doc’s giveaway, but it quickly became something I wrote so entirely for myself that now it’s not.

Anyway, yes, Harumichi wedding, Haruka/Mina/Mako brot3, some Reinako leanings. Many butch tears. AO3 Link

A Wedding, For Real

Haruka knew herself well enough that she’d decided on points
in the wedding when it was appropriate to cry—a little when Michiru came down
the aisle, a bit more (a lot) during the
vows, but not so much that she could not speak. At the reception, when Mina
gave a speech that would undoubtedly be a little snide at times but would end
up being just heartfelt enough. During her first dance with her wife, but only
a few tears towards the end.

This was none of those times.

This was barely two hours before the ceremony was due to
start, in the hotel room she’d slept in to keep with the tradition of not
seeing the bride. She was half in her suit, sitting on the edge of the bed. She
should have been fully in her suit, hair done, shoes tied, ready to sprint out
the door the moment Mina arrived with the car. But instead Mina found her as
she was, unable to stop crying long enough to tie her tie. Fear raked its claws
through her empty stomach and made her whole body shake.

“Buddy, what’s wrong?” Mina sat down on the bed next to her
and rubbed her back. “I thought you’d have been ready for hours and bouncing
off the walls.”

Haruka gave a nasally laugh. “I thought so too. It just…”
She grabbed another tissue and blew her nose. “How impossible this all is hit
me. It can’t really be happening.”

She wiped at her face with the tissue but Mina grabbed her
hands. “Stop, you’re going to irritate your skin with that.” She ducked into
the bathroom and returned with a towel. “Now, gently. You don’t want red marks
today. Tell me what you mean.”

Haruka pressed the towel onto her face, gave a heaving sob,
and left it there. “Part of me always thought this would never happen for me.”

“What, marriage? Haruka, you’ve had secret wedding mood
boards saved on your computer for as long as I’ve known you. Not that I’ve
looked through your files or anything.”

“That’s different,” said Haruka, ignoring the rest for now.
“That’s like, when you’re little and you imagine yourself as a superhero. It
doesn’t matter how bad you want it, it can’t ever come true.”

“Buddy, I don’t know how to tell you this, but we are, in
fact, superheroes.”

“That’s not the point. I’m trying to say it didn’t matter
how much I wanted this, it was never going to happen. And now, it seems like it
is, and I…” She hiccupped, gasped for breath. “And I, I feel scared something’s
going to come take it away. That it’s all going to disappear somehow.”

“Oh Haruka.” Mina hugged her tight. “Listen carefully,
because I’m only going to be this sappy once. Someone was always going to love
you. You’re a terrible sappy dork, but you’re a lovable sappy. So even if our
shitty destiny hadn’t thrown Michiru in you path, you’d have found happiness with
a love of your life and wound up here anyway. But,” Mina pulled away and looked
Haruka hard in the eyes. “Destiny did throw Michiru in your path. And whatever
else I say about the squidly princess, she loves you more than anything in the
world, and believe me when I say nothing is capable of stopping her.”

Haruka sniffled. “You think so?”

Minako rolled her eyes. “What, do you want receipts?” She
sighed. “Just, trust me. I’m the goddess of love, after all, I know this stuff.
And,” she took Haruka’s shoulders firmly in her hands, “I absolutely would not
let this wedding happen if I wasn’t absolutely sure she loves you with
everything she has. Got it?”

“But—“

“No buts.” Mina brushed away the last of the tears with a
gentle swipe of her thumb. “You’re getting married.
We have to get you ready.”

Mina tied her tie—Harukas hands still shook– and helped
with her hair and even coaxed her into a little makeup. “Just to hide the
redness. You’ll need it even more later, I’m sure. And it’s waterproof.” Haruka couldn’t even
say she was sure she would cry again before they got there, so she saw some
wisdom in wearing it.

They arrived at the ceremony hall not nearly as early as
Haruka had planned, but still squarely on time. The fear did not subside when
she saw the aisle set up, or the people beginning to trickle in. It, in fact,
got a whole lot worse.

“What the hell, Mina, did you sneak her out for a last
minute bachelor party last night?” Mako stopped fussing with the flowers to put
her hands on her hips and frown at Mina.

“Do I look that bad?”

Mako’s eyes widened. “No, no. You don’t look bad at all.
Just. You’re a bit pale. And you’re not happy.”

Haruka felt her lip start to wobble.

“Oh no. No no no, you’re fine.” Mako scrambled around for
comfort. “You look good, very handsome, I promise. You just… You’re just…
missing your boutonniere! That’s all!” She pulled the plastic box from her
handbag and ripped the flower out of it. She stuck it to Haruka’s lapel and
pinned it to her chest.

Or, more accurately, through her chest.

“Mako. You got skin there.”

“Oh fuck.” One of
Michiru’s aunts turned in her seats to give them a scandalized scowl. Mako
grabbed Haruka’s arm. “There’s a bathroom over here, come on.”

Mina took hold of Haruka’s other hand. “Don’t pull it out
yet, we don’t have time to wash blood out of you shirt.”

“Maybe it’s a sign.”

“IT’S NOT A SIGN.”

Mako cocked her head.

“She’s afraid the wedding’s not going to happen,” Mina stage
whispered.

“Oh, it’s going to happen. I did not arrange several
thousand flowers and bake that ridiculous cake for you to call it off now.”
Mako’s grip tightened on her arm. “You are going to marry Michiru if I have to
carry you down the aisle myself. Also,” she continued, voice lightening, “You
love each other. You’re living the dream. Why on earth would you not get
married?”

“It’s some cosmic joke,” Haruka said as Mina kicked open the
bathroom door and began yanking out a very liberal amount of paper towels. “I
think I’m living the dream, but I’m
actually living a dream. And I’m
going to wake up and see all the reasons this can’t be real for me, or she’s
gonna wake up, and—“

Mako slammed her hand down on Haruka’s shoulder. “Stop. How
do you think Michiru would feel if she knew you doubted her love?”

“…Mad?”

“She’d be sad! Has she not been good enough to you? Has she
given you a reason to question her?”

“No, of course not.”

“So there you go.”

“Okay,” Mina said, with what must have been twenty crumpled
paper towels in hand. “I need you to hold her suit open.”

“Right.” Mako loosened her tie and began undoing her
buttons.

“Wait, what? Guys, I can do this myself.”

“Haruka, today is not a day to leave you to your own
devices.” Mina leaned in close. “Now I’m going to count down from five, and on
one, I’m going to pull out the pin, and you’re going to pull that side of her
shirt away immediately after. Got it? The timing is very important.”

“Roger that.”

“Five… four… three… two… one…”

They moved in perfect sync, as though all their years as
soldiers led to this moment. There was not a single second that Haruka’s
clothes were exposed to the open pin wound. Mina pressed the paper towels
firmly on her chest.

“It’s, what, sixty seconds of pressure that stops the
bleeding?”

“We could do two minutes, to be safe. And then I think I
have some band aids in my purse.”

“Good. You get a gold star for preparedness.”

“I’ve got a Tide pen too so…” She examined Haruka’s shirt
carefully. “If any did get on here, it might be fixable.”

“What are you
three doing?”

Rei stood in the doorway, arms crossed over her sleek blue
bridesmaid dress. Haruka became keenly aware that she was half naked in a
public restroom being fondled by a wad of paper towels.

“We’ve got it under control, Rei don’t worry,” Mina said
over her shoulder. “And may I say you look—“

“You may not.” Her heels clicked on the tile as she
approached. “Michiru had a feeling I should come early, and boy was she right.”

“Is she calling it off? Did she send you to call it off?”

Rei stared at Haruka for a long moment, and then she rounded
on Mina. “Did you get her drunk? Did you bring her drunk to her wedding? Mina I
swear—“

“Why does everyone keep blaming me? She’s a sober butch with
a lot of feelings, lay off! This is a huge deal and she’s scared.”

Rei huffed. “I can’t deal with either of you. Mako, explain
to me what is going on here.”

“Well, Haruka is scared the wedding won’t happen, and I
tried to cheer her up by pinning on her boutonniere. But I, uh, pinned a bit
too much, so now we’re here to make sure she doesn’t get blood stains on her
clothes.”

Rei’s face went completely blank for several seconds. Then
she reached over and lifted Mina’s hand, revealing absolutely no blood on any
of the twenty paper towels or on Haruka’s chest.

“Oh,” Mako and Mina chorused.

Rei breathed heavily through her nose. “I’m going to turn
around now, and you’re going to get her dressed. Then I’ll pin on her
boutonniere.”

“Good plan, my beautiful princess of passion.”

“Shut it. Maybe if you used your brain for something more
than those atrocious pet names, we wouldn’t be here right now.”

Mina pouted as she re-tied Haruka’s tie. “I guess that’s
fair. And boobs are covered, so you can look.”

“Listen, Rei,” Haruka said as she approached her lapel with
careful hands. “Don’t tell Michiru I’m asking, but, you know her really well.
Is she having any doubts? Does she really want to get married?”

Rei successfully pinned it and looked up. “Do you want
complete honesty?”

“Yes?”

“Michiru doesn’t really care about getting married.”

Mako gasped. A large lump formed in Haruka’s throat.

“She never thought about it much, it wasn’t something she
dreamed about as a child or anything. And it is first and foremost a financial
and social transaction, it’s not actually romantic—“

“Rei.”

“Fine, that last part is me, not her. But the rest is true. A
wedding isn’t something she cares much about. But she cares about you. And she,
for reasons unknown to me, wants to be with you forever. So she’s going to
marry you, because it’s important to you, and because, maybe, you make it feel
a little important to her. You make it seem like it is a bit romantic and sweet
and not just a contract originally intended to give men ownership of women.”

Haruka wiped away a tear. Mina sidled up to Rei. “Do I hear
some genuine feelings pouring from your mouth?”

“I was talking about Michiru’s feelings, not mine.”

Mina grinned. “You think marriage can be sweet sometimes.
You’re not as impenetrable as you want me to think.”

“Oh, shut up.” Rei looked at her phone for the time. “It’s
almost time for Michiru to get here, you should get in position.” She started
out the door, but then stopped. “You guys… you remembered the rings, right?”

A whole new wave of fear crashed over Haruka. She’d been too
preoccupied to check with Mina. They couldn’t get married without rings, this
what it, she’d worried about the wrong thing—

“Right here.” Mina reached into her bra and pulled out the
little ring box.

“That’s where you’re keeping them?” Rei scowled.

“Hey, if I can feel them against my skin, I know for sure
exactly where they are. And no one’s going to be reaching in there today,
unless you’ve been so moved by the atmosphere of love…”

“I’m leaving now. Goodbye.”

Haruka sniffled and pulled Mina into a hug. “Thank you for
remembering them.”

Mina patted her back. “Don’t you worry, buddy, I’ve got in
handled. You’re marriage license is here too. In my bag, not my boobs. Didn’t
want it to get wrinkled.”

Haruka laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Haruka turned to Mako. “You too. You did all the real work
for this.”

Mako blushed and shoved Haruka’s shoulder. “Not all of it.
The planning was all you.”

“I guess so.” Haruka’s eyes watered again, but she smiled.
“Guys… I’m getting married today.”

“There’s the Haruka we’ve been waiting for!” They both
tackled her with a group hug. “But, specifically, you’re getting married in a few minutes. We should get out
there.”

They each took one of her hands and led her to the front of
the hall. Haruka’s breath caught as she saw all their guests in their seats,
all the flowers lining the aisle. The officiator smiled gently at her as she
took her place. “It looks to be a very beautiful ceremony,” he said.

“Thank you.” She turned back to Mina and Mako. “Do I look alright?
Is my hair good? Tie straight?”

“I think your tie is gay, actually, is that alright?”

“Mina.”

“You look great, buddy.”

“Very handsome.”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Okay.” Haruka wiped her
hands on her pants. “Do you still have the rings?”

“Yes. I still think it’s a pity you didn’t go with a ring
bear though.”

“That wasn’t even funny the first time,” Mako said.

“It was a little funny. Haruka thought it was funny, didn’t
you?”

“No.”

“You’re a dirty dirty liar.”

Haruka chuckled, and just then the music started.

They’d opted for a small wedding party, mostly to keep
Michiru’s family from making a fuss over who was included. Setsuna came down
the aisle first, her stately figure giving the hall a weight it had lacked
before. Every perfectly measured step she took seemed to say, this is a day I will mark in time. This
celebration is a duty I take as seriously as any other.

Rei’s steps were different. Rei’s steps were short, halting,
resisting the approach to the three dumbasses at the front even though she’d
rehearsed the perfect wedding walk. Her smile was plastered on and she
pointedly avoided eye contact with any of them.

There was a pause once she arrived, followed by a swelling
of the music. Every guest rose and turned to the entrance.

Outside the sun was bright, and for a moment Haruka could
only see Michiru’s figure fuzzily outlined in the light. Her appearance came
into focus slowly. First, her hands, curved around the gauzy base of her
bouquet. Then, her dress, the simple cap sleeves, the fitted bodice, the way it
flowed from her waist to the ground to make it look like she glided instead of
walked. Her hair was done in a loose up-do, with several curls left to frame
her face. And her face… Haruka allowed herself her anticipated tears. Michiru looked
more beautiful than Haruka had ever seen her, which should have been impossible
but wasn’t. Her smile was soft and cheeks flushed. When their eyes met, Haruka
saw that hers looked a little glassy. She bit her tongue to keep from crying too
hard. Somehow, she’d never expected any tears from Michiru in all this.

Mina rubbed her arm gently. “She loves you, buddy,” she
whispered.

Haruka wiped her eyes as Michiru handed her flowers off to
Rei. She couldn’t focus on what the officiant was saying. Michiru was here,
this was real, she would really be her wife. It was so wonderfully impossible
that she could barely remember how to breathe.

“Now, the brides have written their own wedding vows.
Haruka, Michiru, please face each other and hold hands. Haruka, please speak
your vows.”

Somehow, the simple act of touching on this most important
of days rendered her speechless for several long seconds. Michiru’s hands, held
in hers like they had been countless times, reached in to touch her heart. She closed
her eyes.

“You know,” she said, instead of the opening she’d written for
her vows. “I woke up this morning so afraid that this wasn’t really happening.
That there had been some giant mistake, and I couldn’t really be lucky enough
to be marrying you. But I guess, somehow, I am.” She stroked her thumb over
Michiru’s knuckles. “I never would have believed that someone so incredible
could love me. You’ve saved my life so many times and in so many ways. And now
we get to make a life. Together. I wish I could promise you that I’ll be the
best spouse ever, but I probably won’t be. I’m going to get cookie crumbs in the
bed sheets and fall asleep during your favorite French flims, even if I try
really hard to care about them.” An appreciative chuckle rose from their
guests. “But there are some things I can promise, and I’d like to do that now.”
She took a breath. “I promise to love you, always, for the rest of my life, and
probably longer. I promise to care for you when you’re sick, or tired, or just
want me there. I promise to be your home, your warmth, your family. I promise
that while I’ll never be perfect, I’ll never stop trying.”

“You are perfect, Haruka.”

Haruka laughed as tears started falling. “I don’t think you’re
supposed to say anything yet, Michi.” She took a breath. “But most of all, I
promise to do everything I can to make you every bit as happy as you make me.”

The officiant smiled and tilted his head. “Now, Michiru,
please speak your vows.”

“This may or may not surprise many people here, but
sometimes, I am a cynic. I never believed in love, or marriage, or real
happiness. Not until I met you.” She looked into Haruka’s eyes. Her smile was
sure but a little wobbly at the edges. “You are my proof that there’s good in
the word. You are my light in the darkness. You are my one and only, who I will
love for the rest of my life. I will do everything in my power to make you the
happiest woman alive, Haruka.”

Haruka smiled and tried not to sob. “I already am.”

“Now who’s speaking out of turn?”

She blushed. “Sorry.”

“I will be by your side through hell, through tragedy,
through anything life throws at us. And I will love you, even when I cannot
love myself. This I promise you.”

“Will the best woman please bring forward the rings.”

“Sure, but first, the best woman will bring forward some
tissues.” The guests laughed as Mina dabbed at Haruka’s face with a handkerchief.
Her own cheeks were damp. She handed over the rings and returned to her place.

“Haruka, place your ring on Michiru’s finger and repeat
after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

“With this ring, I thee wed.” She slid the band onto Michiru’s
finger. It fit in place like it was always meant to be there, like Michiru’s
hands had been waiting to bear a symbol of her relationship to Haruka.

“Michiru.”

“With this ring, I thee wed.” They matched, now. Haruka
laced her fingers into Michiru’s, ring hand against ring hand.

“Then with the power vested in me, I pronounce you wedded
wives. You may now kiss.”

Haruka leaned down, Michiru’s hand still in hers. It was a
kiss like any other, except it wasn’t—she was kissing her wife. Her wife tasted sweeter than her girlfriend, than her fiancé.
Haruka’s heart felt full and light at the same time.

The music played again, and Rei handed Michiru back her bouquet.
As they walked down the aisle, Haruka couldn’t stop beaming. “You’re my wife,”
she whispered.

“And you’re mine.”

The moment they stepped outside and out of sight of the
guests, Michiru pulled her down into a deep kiss.

“Hey, nerds, the officiant is going to be out in a moment so
we can sign the marriage license, save this for tonight.”

Haruka laughed and pulled Mina into a headlock. “Who are you
calling a nerd?”

“Did you see how much you were crying? Huge, soppy nerd.”

“Ara, I seem to recall your eyes weren’t dry the whole time.”

“You definitely sniffled a bit,” Mako added with an elbow nudge.

“Yeah, well so did Rei.”

“That’s a lie!”

“It’s not,” Setsuna said.

“Ladies, are you ready?” The officiant laid out the license
for them. Haruka signed first, hand only shaking a little. Michiru went next,
more steady, and then their witnesses.

Haruka hugged Michiru from behind. “I’m not dreaming, am I?
You’re my wife?”

“I know dreams quite well, Haruka. This is not one of them.”
She kissed Haruka’s hand just below her wedding band. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Photo time!” Mina half dove into them and snapped a selfie
with her phone. “First pic with the marrieds being gross, aw yeah.”

“The real photographer’s over there,” Setsuna pointed out. “We
may not want to keep her waiting.”

“I guess not.” Haruka kissed Michiru’s cheek. “We’ll have tonight.”

“Actually, my love,” she said, taking her wife’s hand, “I do
believe we’ll have forever.”

March 27, 2016 ~ sittingoverheredreaming ~ Leave a comment

docholligay:

Since you’re sick, I decided to go head and write something for the “One taking care of the other when they’re hurt or sick” prompt. (Since that’s a free space, I’d like to enter for the school life girls) I hope you enjoy and get feeling better!

—

“Alright buddy.” Minako propped Haruka up with more pillows, careful not to move her too quickly. “Rei swears by this. Says it clears her up every time.”

“Okay.” Haruka’s head was pounding too hard to think of the questions she should have been asking. She took the cup. Mina guided her hands to her mouth to keep the steady.

For all of about three milliseconds, it seemed fine. Then everything from her lips to her throat started to burn. Her nose started to run; tears streamed down her face as though she had just watched the end of Titanic. “What the hell is that?” The question would have been better asked before drinking it.

“Well. Water, mostly. A little salt. And cayenne powder.” Minako handed over a box of kleenex. Haruka wiped at her face. “Do you feel any better?”

“No!” She felt very decidedly worse, the pain in her mouth now beating in time with the one in her head, and the contents of the mixture settling precariously in her already shaky stomach.

“Huh.” Minako smiled. There was a hint of sheepish apology, but it got quickly replaced by cockiness. “At least we can look forward to telling Rei she was wrong.”

“That… doesn’t help me at all.”

“I believe I know something that would help. In fact… I believe I have told you several times what would help.”

Haruka buried her head under the blankets as Michiru approached. Her heels clicked across the wood floor, announcing Haruka’s doom in even steps. Doc-tor. Doc-tor. Doc-tor.

“I don’t need to go, Michi, Mina’s here.”

“Mina is leaving.”

“No I’m n–” Haruka could not see through her blanket wall, but she knew the exact glare Michiru had employed. She counted that it had never been used against her as one of her greatest blessings. “Uh, right, sorry buddy, I’ve got a thing. Get well soon.”

As the door shut behind Minako, Michiru pulled the blankets off Haruka’s head. “You’ve got a bad bug, love.” She stroked the hair away from Haruka’s warm forehead. “Please get checked out.”

Haruka groaned and cuddled into her pillows. “I don’t need to. I’m fine.”

“Ah yes, I can see you are the picture of health.” Michiru sat next to her on the bed and rubbed her head, her fingers soft and light enough to ease the pain instead of aggravating it. “What can I do to get you to go?”

“Nothing.”

Michiru’s mouth pressed into a thin line. “I don’t wish to be harsh, but I do know people who can take you there with force. I could call them, or…” She leaned in very close to whisper in Haruka’s ear, the way that got a very enjoyable reaction when Haruka wasn’t sick. “You can negotiate the terms for going. Doesn’t that sound more fun?”

“Nnnnn fine.” Haruka pouted, but Michiru was mysteriously unaffected. “You take care of me today, and if somehow I’m not better I’ll go in the morning.”

Michiru sighed. “I suppose that’s better than nothing. What do you need?”

“Something to stop the burning.”

Michiru left and came back with ice cream. Cookie dough, one of Haruka’s favorites. “With this suffice?”

“I think so.” Haruka took the bowl. “Except…” She looked up at Michiru with her best puppy eyes. “It will make me cold.”

“Oh dear. How shall we remedy this?”

Haruka scooted over and held up the covers. “Cuddles?”

“I suppose I can do that.” Michiru slid into bed and pulled Haruka over to nestle at her side. “You’re burning up, love.”

“I took a Tylenol before Mina’s thing,” Haruka said between bites. The ice cream relieved that pain, but even with Michiru there she started to shiver. She set the bowl aside unfinished.

Michiru kissed her head. “I hate seeing you like this.”

“It’ll pass. Always does.” She nuzzled herself even closer. “And it’s not so bad with you here.”

Michiru was quiet for a long moment. She rubbed Haruka’s back in a way that made her sleepy. “Well, I’m always going to be here, alright? I promise.”

“I know, Michi. You’re very sweet like that. Sweeter than ice cream…”

As Haruka began to snore, Michiru closed her eyes. The weight of Haruka’s head on her chest made her feel aware of her heart, both the literal beat and the figurative warmth. Quietness settled around them like a fourth blanket. She’d drag Haruka to the doctor early the next morning, but she supposed the postponement wasn’t so bad. The steady rhythm of Haruka’s breathing made her own eyelids heavy, and soon she joined her in a light and gentle sleep.

AH man Sam, I enjoyed this whole thing (WHO AMONG US DOES NOT ADORE NURSE MINAKO WHOSE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IS SHE CAN TELL REI SHE WAS WRONG) but that last paragraph from beginning to end is just like, my heart, oh my god, stop (never stop). It’s tender and well written and man the thing about Michiru’s heart killed me, slayed me right there. There are so many excellent lines in this, THANK YOU

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